Climate Legislation and the Economic Recovery
In a press release yesterday, Senator Jay Rockefeller stated,
Even in the face of the President’s veto threat, we must send a clear message that Congress – not an unelected regulatory agency – must set our national energy policy. Together we must make sure that in this very fragile economic recovery, our manufacturing and energy sectors are able to grow and generate jobs. We can address emissions and secure a future for the U.S. coal industry, but we need the time to get it right and to move clean coal technology forward.
But energy efficiency policies already proposed—and denied—had the potential to bring jobs to the state, likely employing roughly one in 10 of the unemployed (2009) West Virginian labor force. Proposed policies also had the ability to put money in the pockets of Senator Rockefeller’s constituents. Research found that through investment in a renewables, West Virginia could save as much as $1.6 billion in total energy costs in 2030 (the state spent $1.8 billion on energy in 2007).
It appears the Senate passed up at least a few good opportunities to deliver job-creating and money-saving legislation.
